1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to games where players cause game pieces to slide across horizontal playing surfaces, and more particularly to air table games where the game pieces float across the surface of a table on a thin cushion of air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air table games are known to the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,267 (Richard Freeman, et al., issued on May 4, 1976) teaches the design of an air hockey game. The game includes a generally rectangular game table bounded by a sidewall, with two depressed goal areas positioned at opposite ends of the table. The surface of the table contains numerous regular perforations through which air flows from air conduits underneath the table. The air is forced into the conduits by a fan. A thin, circular puck, when placed upon the table's surface, floats upon a cushion of air. The players use circular hand paddles with upstanding central handles and flat bottoms to bat the puck towards the goals. The puck, driven by the paddles, bounces off the sidewall and off the paddles and moves about the surface at relatively high speed with very little frictional loss of velocity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,861 (John J. Driska, issued on Jul. 9, 1991) also discloses such a hockey game but also adds a small hole to the playing surface (which does not normally interfere with movement of the puck) into which a variety of obstacles may be inserted to add variety and excitement to the hockey game. Another similar game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,128 (Mark J. Robbins, issued on May 5, 1992). This game also utilizes a perforated playing surface and circular pucks, but the game works more like a bowling game. Multiple targets are provided at one end of the sliding surface. The player, working from the other end of the sliding surface, slides the pucks towards the goals. As in the above hockey games, the pucks may bounce off the game's sidewalls, and the motion of the pucks is relatively free of friction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,341 (William E. Olliges, issued on Nov. 6, 1979) teaches the design of an air pinball game. The game, in most respects, resembles a standard rolling-ball pinball game, with a floor-standing table supporting a glass cover through which a gently sloping playing surface can be viewed. The surface, however, contains numerous regular perforations through which air flows out of a box-like air plenum mounted beneath the surface, the air being forced into this plenum by a fan beneath the table. Instead of rolling balls, this game utilizes circular pucks that float upon the surface in a relatively friction-free manner upon a thin cushion of air. The pinball game includes bumpers both at the boundaries of the surface and also circular bumpers mounted in the central regions of the surface which, when struck by the circular pucks, light up and also signal scoring events. Flippers towards the lower end of the surface permit the player, by actuating electrical buttons, to impact the puck and drive it uphill towards the bumpers to gain scores. A display console mounted above the high end of the surface displays the score and adds to the entertainment aspects of the pinball game.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air table game such as those described above that can be reconfigured into a different air table game with very little effort on the part of a player. Another object is to design such a reconfigurable air table game so that may be disassembled for compact storage and shipment and then be reassembled with relative ease, yet that achieves a suitably smooth and rigid playing surface beneath which there lies a suitably leak-free plenum chamber.